Posts tagged ‘Pupi Avati’

I was recently asked to provide a list of my top 5 Italian Films released during the first 6 months of 2011, I am seriously struggling to find 3 so while I am having a heated debate with my virtual self, I have been taking a look at the past decade, who in the Italian Film Industry have won the most awards ? Exciting stuff on a hot day in Sicily, I have separated the winners into male and female categories, because I can.

Top Awards given to an Italian Male during the last decade are :

10 Antonio Martino with 38

08 Michele Placido with 40 (shared)

08 Matteo Garrone with 40 (shared)

06 Michelangelo Frammartino 41 ( for one film Le quattro volte, The Four Times 2010)(shared)

06 Giuseppe Tornatore with 41 (shared)

05 Marco Bellocchino with 42

04 Pupi Avati with 44

03 Ferzan Ozpetek with 54

02 Paolo Sorrentino with 61

01 Giorgio Diritti with 63

I loved Diritti’s film Il vento fa il suo giro, The Wind goes round out in 2005, it was a truly awesome film from this Italian first time director. Diritti followed that up with L’Uomo che Verrà, The Man That Will Come, I was very disappointed with that particular film purely because Spike Lee directed Miracle at St. Anna a year earlier, it was panned in Italy although a 100 % superior production, more and less the same subject bar a few black soilders and the sex of a child, I am still quietly seething over the Italians reaction to Spike Lee, do not critique or even express an opinion about a film you have not seen, that is all I am saying. Information courtesy of the great folk of Cinema Info.

Il Nastro d’argento, The Silver Ribbon Europa’s oldest film industry award, will be presented during the Taormina Film Festival on the 25th June 2011. The Festival will be running from the 11th of June until the 18th June 2011. We do already have the name of the recipient of Il Nastro d’agento speciale, The Special Silver Ribbon it will be going to Pupi Avati for his film Sconfinata giovinezza, Endless Youth (possible English title) it was a good film with a daring subject; Lino’s (Fabrizio Bentivoglio) decent into childhood, after being diagnosed with Alzheimer was played with great depth and sensitivity by Bentivoglio a solid performance, even though he must have felt frustrated playing to Francesca Neri’s frozen face, neurotoxin Botox and hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane and Juvederm should be used exclusively by models and wifes of rich oil magnets not actors and actresses, she was dreadful, of course it is not entirely her fault, Italian actresses are all doing it, the fault lies with casting, to be fair, if an actress cannot display simple emotions such as happy, sad, worried and angry, they should not be booked, simple really. Pupi Avati, is an awesome director with a diverse catalog of films behind him and he has more awards than most of his contemporaries, to follow is a list of films he has directed :

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Balsamus l’uomo di Satana (Blood Relations, 1968)

Thomas e gli indemoniati (Thomas and the Bewitched, 1969)

La mazurka del barone, della santa e del fico fiorone (The Mazurka of the Baron, the Saint and the Early Fig Tree, 1974)

Bordella (House of Pleasure for Women, 1976)

La casa dalle finestre che ridono, The House with the Laughing Windows, (1976)

Tutti defunti… tranne i morti (1977)

Le strelle nel fosso (1979)

Aiutami a sognare (Help Me Dream, 1981)

Zeder (1983)

Una gita scolastica (A School Outing, 1983)

Noi tre (We Three, 1984)

Impiegati (1984)

Festa di laurea (Graduation Party, 1985)

Regalo di Natale (Christmas Present, 1986)

Ultimo minuto (The Last Minute, 1987)

Sposi (Bride and Groom, 1987, first segment)

Storia di ragazzi e di ragazze (The Story of Boys and Girls, 1989)

Bix (1991)

Fratelli e sorelle (Brothers and Sisters, 1991)

Magnificat (1993)

L’amico d’infanzia (The Childhood Friend, 1994)

Dichiarazioni d’amore (Declarations of Love, 1994)

Festival (1996)

L’arcano incantatore (The Mysterious Enchanter, 1996)

Il testimone dello sposo (The Best Man, 1998)

La via degli angeli (A Midsummer Night’s Dance, 1999)

I cavalieri che fecero l’impresa (The Knights of the Quest, 2001)

Il cuore altrove (The Heart Is Elsewhere, also known as The Heart Is Everywhere, 2003)

PrimoCiak is jumping for joy, PrimoCiak is ecstatic, having found the “original” Italian Film Festival in London, it was re-named and is now proudly calling itself “Italian Cinema London” and so it should. Italian Cinema London is kicking off on the 1st April and continues with a truly awesome and varied programme until the 10th April 2011. There are films galore and the Riverside Studios are such a great venue too, grab a bite in the bar before the film or if you must a drink, just ask for plastic glass and you can sip while you enjoy your film; luxury I think you will agree. Book early it is a small venue and London is home to more than 40,000 Italian, they will be booking early online, some of these film will never be shown in Italy, crazy I know.

You people of London are so spoilt for choise this year, there are such a diverse programme available to you; bring a sleeping bag and settle for the full 10 days, there is a Restaurant, a Bar and a Film Cafe too, what more do you need ?

There is this year a MasterClass with Dante Ferretti, who is also designing a possible new Theme Park in Rome’s Cinecitta.

NO that is not all ,They are running a mini festival within a festival to celebrate the life of Massimo Troisi, great actor and director who died in 94 age 41.

Scusate il ritardo, Sorry I’m Late 1983

Che ore e ? What Time is it ? 1989

Non ci resta che Piangere, Nothing left to do but cry 1884

Il viaggio di Capitan Fracassa, Captain Fracassa’s Journey 1990

Ricomincio da tre, I’m Starting from Three 1981

Il Postino, The Postman 1994

NO even that is not all, there are shorts too….. I am suffering from writes cramp so many film in one festival. Now please can you don you best designer gear and make the new Italian Cinema London rock, perfume and aftershave is a serious must too.